Heat Sink for a RAM

ABSTRACT

A heat sink for a RAM includes a first and a second heat dissipating plate, on each of which a retaining tongue, a pair of locating tabs, and a catch tab are provided. The retaining tongue includes an expanded head portion and a narrowed root portion, and the head portion is a tab having a specific shape. The catch tab is provided with an expanded through retaining hole and a narrowed through root hole, which are configured to match the shape of the heat portion and the root portion of the retaining tongue, respectively. When the two heat dissipating plates are connected to each other, once the head portions and root portions of the retaining tongues are extended through the corresponding retaining holes and root holes of the catch tabs, the retaining tongues will not unexpectedly separate from the catch tabs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat sink, and more particularly to a heat sink for a RAM, which is convenient to be mounted on two opposite sides of a RAM (DDR or SDR).

2. Description of the Prior Arts

A computer system has become closely related to people's daily life and is a prerequisite tool in working. Following the quick popularization of computer among consumers and the prosperous development in the computer technological field, the currently available computers have largely increased computing speed and upgraded operation efficiency. However, the increased computing speed also brings the problem of high amount of heat produced by the electronic elements in the computer during the operation thereof. The produced heat usually requires an additional heat dissipating device to remove it from the computer.

One of the currently common means adopted by the computer industrial field to remove the operation-produced heat is to mount a heat sink to the RAM in the computer. According to a conventional heat sink for a RAM technique, two heat dissipating plates are first connected along two adjacent edges thereof, and then outward turn the two heat dissipating plates about the connected edges to an open state, so as to position a RAM between the two heat dissipating plates. Please refer to FIGS. 8 and 9, in which a conventional heat sink for a RAM structure is shown. The conventional heat sink for a RAM includes a first heat dissipating plate 40 and a second heat dissipating plate 50, which are correspondingly provided with a catch 41, 51 and a retaining tongue 42, 52. To connect the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50 together, first extend the retaining tongues 42, 52 into through holes formed on the catches 51, 41 at an angle, and then turn the free edges of the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50 outward to provide an opening for mounting a RAM 60 in between the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50.

However, the above-described conventional heat sink for a RAM tends to confuse a user in practical use thereof.

When the user intends to position the RAM 60 between the two connected heat dissipating plates 40, 50, he or she has to hold the two pivotally opened heat dissipating plates 40, 50 with one hand. It is noted when the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50 are turned open to a widest possible angle, the retaining tongues 42, 52 are located in the through holes of the catches 51, 41 without the risk of directly separating therefrom. However, with the retaining tongues 42, 52 located in the through holes of the catches 51, 41, the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50 are not exactly hooked to each other. In the process of mounting the RAM 60, when the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50 are subjected to an external force, vibration and the like, or when the RAM 60 has been positioned between the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50 and the user wants to close the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50 to each other, since the catches 41, 51 and the retaining tongues 52, 42 can no longer be held to a stably engaged angular position relative to one another and there is not other auxiliary means to assist in hooking the retaining tongues 52, 42 to the catches 41, 51, the retaining tongues 52, 42 would easily skid and become separated from the through holes of the catches 41, 51. Therefore, the user has to very carefully prevent the retaining tongues 52, 42 from sliding out of the catches 41, 51. This will no doubt cause inconveniences to the user when trying to position the RAM 60 between the two heat dissipating plates 40, 50.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a heat sink for a RAM with structurally improved heat dissipating plates, so that a user can easily connect the heat dissipating plates of the heat sink to each other and conveniently position a RAM therebetween.

A heat sink for a RAM includes a first and a second heat dissipating plate, on each of which a retaining tongue, a pair of locating tabs, and a catch tab are provided. The retaining tongue includes an expanded head portion and a narrowed root portion, and the head portion is a tab having a specific shape. The catch tab is provided with an expanded through retaining hole and a narrowed through root hole, which are configured to match the shape of the heat portion and the root portion of the retaining tongue, respectively. When the two heat dissipating plates are connected to each other, once the head portions and root portions of the retaining tongues are extended through the corresponding retaining holes and root holes of the catch tabs, the retaining tongues will not unexpectedly separate from the catch tabs. Consequently, that improved structure of the invention make it convenient to be applied for dissipating heat produced by a RAM.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a heat sink for a RAM according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an operational top view showing a first step of connecting two heat dissipating plates of the heat sink for a RAM of the present invention to each other;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary and enlarged perspective view showing a second step of connecting the two heat dissipating plates to each other;

FIG. 4 is an operational view showing the two heat dissipating plates being connected to each other;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the positioning of a RAM in between the two connected heat dissipating plates;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a heat sink for a RAM according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a heat sink for a RAM according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view showing two heat dissipating plates of a conventional heat sink for a RAM in a separated state; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the positioning of a RAM in between the two conventional heat dissipating plates in a connected state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1 that is an exploded perspective view of a heat sink for a RAM according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the heat sink of the present invention includes two structurally similar heat dissipating plates, which can be connected together with their inner sides facing toward each other for clamping on two opposite faces of a RAM. The two heat dissipating plates are sold or used in pair. For the purpose of clarity in describing the present invention, these two heat dissipating plates are separately denoted by a different reference numeral.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat sink for a RAM according to the present invention includes a first heat dissipating plate 10 and a second heat dissipating plate 20, both of which are a long plate having two opposite longer edges and two opposite shorter edges. An elongated flange 19 (29) is formed along one of the longer edges of the heat dissipating plate 10 (20) to generally perpendicularly extend from the longer edge by a predetermined distance. The elongated flange 19 (29) can be formed by known skill. When the first and the second heat dissipating plate 10, 20 are connected at the longer edges with the elongated flanges 19, 29 formed thereat and then pivotally turned relative each other to an open position, the two elongated flanges 19, 29 are abutted on each other along their free edges to thereby prevent the two heat dissipating plates 10, 20 from being further turned open. That is, the two elongated flanges 19, 29 serve to limit the angle by which the two heat dissipating plates 10, 20 can be pivotally turned open relative to each other.

A retaining tongue 11 (21) and a pair of locating tabs 12 (22) are provided on the free edge of the elongated flange 19 (29) near one of two ends thereof; and a catch tab 13 (23) is provided on the free edge of the elongated flange 19 (29) near the other end thereof. The retaining tongue 11 and the pair of locating tabs 12 on the first heat dissipating plate 10 are located corresponding to the catch tab 23 on the second heat dissipating plate 20; and the catch tab 13 on the first heat dissipating plate 10 is located corresponding to the retaining tongue 21 and the pair of locating tabs 22 on the second heat dissipating plate 20. The retaining tongue 11 (21) includes a narrowed root portion 111 (211) and an expanded head portion 112 (212). The root portion 111 (211) is extended from the free edge of the elongated flange 19 (29) to incline forward and downward; and the head portion 112 (212) is extended from a distal end of the root portion 111 (211), and is a tab having a specific shape. In the illustrated first preferred embodiment, the head portion 112 (212) is a substantially T-shaped tab.

The two locating tabs 12 (22) are spaced along the free edge of the elongated flange 19 (29) to locate at two opposite lateral sides of the retaining tongue 11 (21), such that a receiving space is formed between each lateral side of the retaining tongue 11 (21) and one locating tab 12 (22). The locating tabs 12 (22) are bent at a joint with the elongated flange 19 (29) to have a downward inclined section each, such that the locating tabs 13 (23) are located lower than the elongated flange 19 (29). The catch tab 13 (23) is configured for fitly locating in the space between the two locating tabs 22 (12), and is also bent at a joint with the elongated flange 19 (29) to have a downward inclined section, such that the catch tab 13 (23) is located lower than the elongated flange 19 (29). An expanded through retaining hole 131 (231) is formed on the catch tab 13 (23) to extend from the joint with the elongated flange 19 (29), and a narrowed through root hole 132 (232) is also formed on the catch tab 13 (23) to communicate with the retaining hole 131 (231). The retaining hole and the root hole 131, 132 (231, 232) are configured to match the shape of the head portion and the root portion 212, 211 (112, 111), respectively.

Please refer to FIGS. 2 to 5. To connect the two heat dissipating plates 10, together, first approach them to each other, so that the retaining tongue 11 (21) and the locating tabs 12 (22) are aligned with the catch tab 23 (13), as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Then, extend the head portion 112 (212) of the retaining tongue 11 (21) through the retaining hole 231 (131) near the elongated flange 29 (19), and allow the head portion 112 (212) to correspondingly fit in the retaining hole 231 (131). At this point, the locating tabs 12 (22) will extend into below the elongated flange 29 (19) to clamp on two opposite lateral sides of the catch tab 23 (13). Therefore, the first and the second heat dissipating plate 10, 20 are primarily correspondingly connected to each other at two pivot points through engagement of the retaining tongues 11, 21 and the locating tabs 12, 22 with the catch tabs 23, 13, respectively, as shown in FIG. 4. Then, outward turn the first and the second heat dissipating plate 10, 20 about the two pivot points to an open state, and the head portion 112 (212) and the root portion 111 (211) of the retaining tongues 11 (21) can naturally extend through the retaining hole 231 (131) and the root hole 232 (132), respectively. At this point, the root portion 111 (211) intersects with the root hole 232 (132), and the head portion 112 (212) is moved to locate below the narrowed root hole 232 (132), so that the first heat dissipating plate 10 is firmly hooked to the second heat dissipating plate 20 at the two pivot points, as shown in FIG. 5. When the first and second heat dissipating plates 10, 20 are pivotally turned outward relative to each other, the catch tab 13 (23) is clamped between the two locating tabs 22 (12), and therefore, the first and the second heat dissipating plate 10, 20 are stopped from laterally moving relative to each other. With the catch tab 13 (23) being clamped between the locating tabs 22 (12), the first and the second heat dissipating plate 10, 20 can be closed to each other again without becoming misaligned in both vertical and horizontal directions. Moreover, since the head portion 112 (21) and the root portion 111 (211) have shapes matching that of the retaining hole 231 (131) and the root hole 232 (132), respectively, it can be ensured that, once the head portion 112 (212) has been extended through the retaining hole 231 (131) and the first and the second heat dissipating plate 10, 20 are outward turned relative to each other, the head portion 112 (212) will firmly hook to the narrowed root hole 232 (132) without the risk of separating from the retaining hole 231 (131) due to turning open or close, vibrating, or impacting of the first and second heat dissipating plates 10, 20. Therefore, the heat dissipating plates 10, 20 can be exactly protected against unexpected separation from each other in the process of positioning a RAM between them.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which there are included a head portion 112A and a retaining hole 231A correspondingly configured to be L-shaped.

Please further refer to FIG. 7 that shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which there are included a head portion 112B and a retaining hole 231B correspondingly configured to have a round shape.

It is understood the head portion and the retaining hole in the present invention are not limited to those shapes illustrated in the above three embodiments, but can be any other geometrical shapes that allow the head portion and the retaining hole to well engage with each other to achieve the same function as in the illustrated embodiments.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

1. A heat sink for a RAM, comprising: a first and a second heat dissipating plate, each of which being provided along an edge thereof with an elongated flange; at least one retaining tongue and at least one pair of locating tabs being formed on a free edge of each of the elongated flanges near one of two ends thereof, and at least one catch tab being formed on the free edge of each of the elongated flanges near the other end thereof, such that the retaining tongue and the pair of locating tabs on the first heat dissipating plate are aligned with the catch tab on the second heat dissipating plate, and the catch tab on the first heat dissipating plate is aligned with the retaining tongue and the pair of locating tabs on the second heat dissipating plate; each of the retaining tongues including a narrowed root portion and an expanded head portion, the root portion being extended from the free edge of the elongated flange to incline forward and downward, and the head portion being extended from a distal end of the root portion and having a specific shape: the two locating tabs in each pair being spaced along the free edge of the elongated flange to locate at two opposite lateral sides of one retaining tongue, such that a receiving space is formed between each lateral side of the retaining tongue and one locating tab; and each of the locating tabs being bent at a joint with the elongated flange to have a downward inclined section; and each of the catch tabs being configured for fitly locating in the space between two paired locating tabs, and also being bent at a joint with the elongated flange to have a downward inclined section; an expanded through retaining hole and a narrowed through root hole being formed on each of the catch tabs and configured to match the shape of the head portion and the root portion, respectively.
 2. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second heat dissipating plate is provided with one retaining tongue, one pair of locating tabs, and one catch tab.
 3. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the head portions is a tab.
 4. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the head portions is of T-shaped.
 5. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the head portions is of T-shaped.
 6. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the head portions is of T-shaped.
 7. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the head portions is of L-shaped.
 8. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the head portions is of L-shaped.
 9. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the head portions is of L-shaped.
 10. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the head portions is of round-shaped.
 11. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the head portions is of round-shaped.
 12. The heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the head portions is of round-shaped.
 13. A heat dissipating plate for heat sink for a RAM, comprising: a long plate being provided along one of two longer edges thereof with an elongated flange; at least one retaining tongue and at least one pair of locating tabs being formed on a free edge of the elongated flange near one of two ends thereof, and at least one catch tab being formed on the free edge of the elongated flanges near the other end thereof; the retaining tongue including a narrowed root portion and an expanded head portion, the root portion being extended from the free edge of the elongated flange to incline forward and downward; and the head portion being extended from a distal end of the root portion and having a specific shape; the two locating tabs in each pair being spaced along the free edge of the elongated flange to locate at two opposite lateral sides of one retaining tongue, such that a receiving space is formed between each lateral side of the retaining tongue and one locating tab; and each of the locating tabs being bent at a joint with the elongated flange to have a downward inclined section; and the catch tab being configured for fitly locating in the space between two paired locating tabs, and also being bent at a joint with the elongated flange to have a downward inclined section; an expanded through retaining hole and a narrowed through root hole being formed on the catch tab and configured to match the shape of the head portion and the root portion, respectively.
 14. The heat dissipating plate for heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 13, wherein the elongated flange is formed with one retaining tongue, one pair of locating tabs, and one catch tab.
 15. The heat dissipating plate for heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 13, wherein the head portion is a tab.
 16. The heat dissipating plate for heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 13, wherein the head portion is of T-shaped.
 17. The heat dissipating plate for heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 14, wherein the head portion is of T-shaped.
 18. The heat dissipating plate for heat sink for a RAM as claimed in claim 15, wherein the head portion is of T-shaped. 